Tom Horne, Arizona schools superintendent
Horne’s blind spot
The Tucson & Region article “AZ tutoring program ends abruptly,” described the end of a program that Tom Horne, Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction, claimed would continue for another year. Instead, the tutoring program will end far too soon. Horne was quoted as saying, “We were used to a certain amount of money. All of a sudden, were burning a lot more than we realized.” Once again, Horne’s financial oversight is unacceptable, from school voucher abuse to charter school funding. Perhaps in the new year, Mr. Horne can find a tutored course in financial planning.
Roger Shanley
East side
Skills plus education equals entrepreneur
There seems to be a big push to downgrade the values of an education. Now our school system is so bad that many with high-school educations cannot even pass the tests to join the military. Having the skill to build things, fix things and care for others is extremely valuable but adding to those skills the ability to read contracts, do bookkeeping, read the employment laws and draw blueprints and schematics means you are on your way to your own business. It is perfectly fine to work for someone else all your life and be very successful, but it is also great if you can be your own boss because you have the education to do that. An education for the working person also means promotions. Is it just big corporations pushing for less education to keep down the competition?
Bette E Richards
Midtown
UA basketball on ESPN+
Being faithful UA Basketball fans for many years, we accepted the changes in coverage and added ESPN+ for the season. We have now watched two games there and find it very frustrating. When games were on cable, we could record and start watching later than the game started. Now replays are not available until after the game ends. Plus I have to scroll through many games to find the one I’m interested in. I’m also not sure how long games remain available to watching replays. How about an article in the sports section about how to actually use ESPN+ on the tv? It was frustrating enough when night games weren’t covered in the Arizona Daily Star the next day, now I’m struggling to see the games.
Vikki Spritz
Midtown
Promises, promises
It is now 2025, and we will have a new President that made many promises. We all need to keep score of the promises made and done. First, decreasing the price of food. (he already is backtracking this one.) Second, decreasing the cost of gas. Gas is already under $3.00. Third, decreasing housing costs. Fourth, ending the war in Ukraine in a day. Fifth, decreasing taxes for middle-income Americans. The wealthy and corporations will get more tax breaks guaranteed. Sixth, promised not to touch Social Security and Medicare (keep your eye on that one.) Seventh, to deport 10 million immigrants, starting with immigrants who have committed crimes, but not restricted to that. He has also promised that if he has to deport immigrant parents who have children born in the USA, the children can go with their deported parents. (what a guy!) Remember the promises and keep score.
Richard Bechtold
West side
Love and hate
So, after reading the article about Jimmy Carter, I think I have it figured out.
Jimmy Carter: Peace and love.
Donald Trump: Chaos and hatred.
Jeannette Jackman
Southeast side
Thanks a lot, God
Now I know how a serial lying, dishonest, hateful, racist, vindictive person got put into the Presidency not once, but twice. It wasn’t just the mind-boggling ignorance of 52 percent of voters — no, it was God Himself, purposely choosing Trump (re: Dec. 28 letter “Why Trump”). According to the letter writer, Trump was chosen and his life spared (twice) to turn America back to God and Christian values. Hey, Donald has his share of serious moral deficiencies but who doesn’t? According to the letter, Trump embodies and supports the Christian values of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. Are you kidding me? Did Trump do a sales job on God? Trump embodies the total opposite of those values. Did God plan the violence and treason that was Jan. 6th? Did God want Mike Pence hung? If God chose Trump for us, He must be really mixed up, perhaps under the Devil’s control, in need of an extensive mental health evaluation, or all of the above.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
‘DEI hires’
Ronald F. Eustice wrote (12/11/24) that Biden selected cabinet candidates for their diversity identity rather than their ability and qualifications. To presume that those who have identities, backgrounds, and experiences different from “White, straight, Christian males and females” (as Eustice described them) do not have the necessary ability and qualifications for a Cabinet position is racist, bigoted, offensive, and anti-American. There is an ignorant anti-diversity campaign in this country. I have been an Industrial and Organizational Psychologist for over 30 years and recruiting and selection practices of course seek to ensure that job candidates have the qualifications required for the job. What rational person or process would seek to hire an unqualified candidate? Diversity of thought and backgrounds has also been shown to lead to innovations and broader insights for better decision making. We also should have qualified people in government who are representative of the American people. Unfortunately, the only criterion for some of Trump’s picks for top jobs seems to be loyalty to him.
Sara Weiner
Northwest side
Jimmy Carter, exemplary volunteer
Ex-president Jimmy Carter, who passed away at 100, deserves to be remembered as an extraordinary volunteer. He was active in the Habitat for Humanity foundation for 36 years, from 1984 when he was already ex-president, until 2020. His volunteer work for that foundation included constructing houses along with his wife, Rosalynn. Together they traveled to 14 countries to help construct more than 4,000 houses alongside 104,000 other volunteers. Largely due to his and Rosalynn’s volunteering, Habitat for Humanity today is the world’s largest foundation doing construction work. On a personal note, while working with the Boston-based United Planet foundation as its Chile coordinator in Santiago, I was responsible for coordinating construction work projects for American volunteers along with their Chilean counterparts such as Techo para Chile. Because of the well-known example of Jimmy Carter, it was always easy to find enthusiastic American volunteers of all ages ready to make the long trip down to Chile.
Paul Fischer
Santiago, Chile
Worst Congress Ever?
We read that the 118th Congress was by far the most unproductive since at least the 1980s. There are outcries about legislative gridlock and dysfunction, mainly from the political left. I ask why this is bad. Think about it; we pass a law with good intentions; it causes disastrous consequences and then we reform the law and then reform the reform.
In contrast the previous 117th Democrat-controlled Congress was supposedly productive, having passed more than 350 bills compared to fewer than 150 by its successor.
It approved the $1.9T American Rescue Plan that drowned us with cash direct payments to combat the COVID-19 pandemic which had already subsided.
Next up was the $1.0T Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a slush fund for projects like roads and bridges but also included social infrastructure, more cash.
The coup d’état was the $1.1T Inflation Reduction Act that accelerated inflation through climate and healthcare spending measures.
Maybe a ‘do-nothing’ Congress is actually doing something good.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Honoring Jimmy Carter with action
Thanks for the heartfelt picture of Jimmy Carter, president and humanitarian. I disagree that he “was too good a person to be President.” On the contrary, he was exactly the kind of person we need for president, and the kind needed now more than ever. Imagine the future of our country if presidents were always guided by fairness, human rights, peace, and preventing war. Those who hold this office in the future could do no better than to be guided by his example.
Our country has the wealth and power to do just that: End hunger and homelessness in our country and bring peace to our world. Starting with the children, passing an expanded child tax credit to cut poverty, increasing the SNAP program to bring an end to hunger, and passing a renter tax credit to keep those experiencing low income to stay housed while building more affordable housing. What a great way to honor President Carter.
Willie Dickerson
Northwest side
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